Everything Old Is New Again
by Jennifer James
Summary: Ed and Abbie discover that some things never change...
1. Old Acquaintance

_Disclaimer:  It's just fiction, folks. I lay no claim to the characters._

_A/N – Chapter 1 written for Tobias Charity's Thursday 100 'Drunken Revelry' challenge on LiveJournal.___

Ed watched her sleep and thought about how they'd ended up there.

A chance meeting.  A festive occasion.  Enough champagne to launch the entire naval fleet… and give them courage…

Of course there was the undeniable attraction. It was always present; in sidelong glances and 'accidental' touches that lingered. But there was something else, too.  The shadow cast by different cultural experiences.  It could be exceptionally long.  Even in 2004.

As they stumbled drunk up the stairs to his apartment, laughing intimately, they passed one of his neighbors.  He knew the attractive, easy going black woman well and nodded.  The potency of his buzz didn't deflect the coolness of her tone when she bade him, "Good evening. _Brother_."

He felt his new lover stirring next to him.  "Hey you."  Abbie drawled huskily, smiling through eyes heavy with sleep before resting her head on his chest.  "Happy new year."

Ed ran his hand over her bare back and kissed the top of her head.  "Happy new year."


	2. My Funny Valentine

Ed's cell rang as he dropped the folder in front of Lennie.

"Passed Lieu in the hallway."  He explained while fumbling through his coat.  "M.E.'s report on the Atkinson case."  He finally extracted the phone and flipped it open.  "Green."

"Hello Detective Green."

Ed immediately recognized the husky voice.  He tried to ignore the charge that it sent surging through him, but quickly succumbed and felt himself smiling unchecked.  Lennie looked on, amused.  His partner obviously wasn't grinning about anything business related and he couldn't let the moment pass without some good natured ribbing.  Lennie puckered his lips and made smooching sounds which prompted Ed to roll his eyes and turn his back before he spoke.

"Counselor." His voice was low and matched the intensity with which she'd said his name. "How're you this brisk February morning?"

Abbie leaned back in her chair and propped her jean clad legs on the desk.  "Well, actually I'm a little puzzled." She told him as she gazed at the animated heart dancing merrily across her computer screen.

"About?" Ed inquired innocently, knowing full well what she was alluding to.  

He wasn't sure why he'd done it.  It had been something of an impulse. Since she wasn't working for the DA anymore, their paths rarely crossed.  He'd faked being asleep as he listened to her tiptoeing out of his apartment on New Year's Day.  They'd only spoken once since then, and the conversation was full of excruciating pleasantries that left them both hovering somewhere between giddy awkwardness and utter confusion.  He estimated that he'd started nearly two dozen emails that were never sent because they'd either been banished to his 'drafts' folder or he'd pressed the cancel button instead of 'send'.  Maybe it would've been easier had he said something to her that morning when he heard her leaving.  Why hadn't he?

"I had no idea you were such a poet." She cracked.  "Imagine my surprise just now when I stumbled across this masterpiece."

Abbie's heart had skipped a beat when she was skimming her emails and saw 'Ed Green' near the top of the list. She'd lost track of the number of times her hand lingered over the phone's receiver as she debated calling him.  The last time they'd seen each other had been so weird.  Maybe that was her fault.  She'd left his bed after their night together and slipped out of his apartment while he slept.  Even as she descended the stairs in his building she asked herself, 'Why?'

Maybe because she didn't want to hear him try to explain that what happened was just a chance, one time thing.  She was a big girl.  She knew better than to expect a night of intoxicated abandon to develop into anything substantial or long term.  And there were other things; a sea of circumstances that both separated and intertwined their lives. Lately she would chuckle to herself whenever she heard anybody say that something was as simple as black and white.  Nothing was that simple. But weren't they educated professionals living in enlightened times?  This made her laugh too. Sadly.

"I wasn't sure if I should send it." Ed admitted. 

He'd been passing all the Valentine's Day displays in the stores for weeks and each time he fought the temptation to stop and browse.  Sending an actual card seemed too premeditated.  It would've said that he'd made a concerted effort, that he'd spent time wading through the mountain of greetings to find the perfect one.  It would've said that he'd been thinking about her.  And he wasn't sure he was ready to admit that.

But last night, on an impulse, he'd gone to one of the electronic greeting sites before he turned off his laptop.  He found the Valentine's Day section and quickly eliminated the romantic and risqué categories.  The 'friends' & 'funny' categories didn't do much for him either and he finally settled on personalizing his own. After composing the message, he typed her email address in the recipient field and clicked the send button before he could second guess himself.

Abbie laughed heartily when she opened the e-card.  Its sentiment seemed appropriate. 

'_Roses are red_

_Violets are Blue_

_I waited too late to buy a card_

_But hey, this one's for you!'_

"I'm glad you sent it." She told him, and before her common sense had a chance to censor her emotions she blurted out, "I've missed you."

Ed was floored by the revelation and the line went silent.  Abbie tittered nervously.

"Um, you still there?"

Ed laughed softly.  "Yeah, I'm still here."

"Thought maybe I'd lost you."  She joked.

"No. I was just," He paused and cleared his throat.  He felt like he was in the seventh grade all over again. "I was just tryin' to figure out how to ask you something."

Abbie held her breath, but managed to croak, "Yeah?"

"Will you be my valentine?"

She exhaled and pushed against the desk, sending herself spinning in circles as the smile on her face spread through her entire being.

"Detective Green," She said as the chair slowly came to a stop. "I'd love to be your valentine."


	3. Fools Rush In

"Fried cream cheese wontons?"

"Do you have a death wish?"

"Ed, you do know the point of having a junk food night is to actually eat junk food?"  Abbie eyed him over the rim of her black framed glasses.  He thought they made her look cute in a bookworm-ish kind of way.  "I'd say deep fried cream cheese definitely qualifies."

"Vegetable egg rolls?"  He suggested.

"Ah, and he trumps my Ace with the Joker of compromise.  Very astute move, Detective."  She leaned over and pecked his cheek.  "Okay, genius, which soup?"

"Bean curd and vegetable."

Abbie grimaced.  "Ewww! I'm not eatin' anything that rhymes with turd." She held the menu in front of him and pointed out her preference.  "How 'bout this?"

"Egg drop? Abbie do you know how much--."

"Green, I swear if you start in on calories and fat content again, you're eatin' the menu!" She threatened and his hands flew up in defeat.

"Egg drop soup it is."

Abbie grinned.  "You're a very wise man."

Ed grinned back and groaned when his cell rang.  Abbie eyed it dubiously. "Five minutes."  He promised as he stood up.  "And I'll have sliced chicken with snow peas and steamed rice."

"You sure know how to live on the edge, Ed."  She teased and reached for the cordless phone.

Ed walked into Abbie's bedroom and sat on the bed. "Green."

"Hey, baby.  It's Mama."

"Mama."  Ed bolted from the bed.  His mother almost never called during the week.  "What's goin' on?  Everything alright?"

"Oh yeah, son, everything's fine."  She assured him and he breathed a sigh of relief.  His mother never failed to have a calming effect on him.  After years spent traveling to the ends of the earth, her soft voice still retained a hint of her southern origins.  "Just callin' to let you know 'bout your father's party."

"Party?" Ed frowned in confusion as he sat back down. "Dad's birthday is still four months away."

"Well actually your father's decided to move his retirement date up."  She informed him.  "He finished the environmental study he was working on sooner than he anticipated and all he really has left to do is organize his field notes and submit a report on his findings."

"That quick, huh?"

"Uh huh." He could hear paper rustling and a cabinet door close over the line. His mother always seemed to be doing three things at a time.

"The young man they brought in to take over is already up to speed on the other projects, and your dad seems more than ready to turn things over to him." Her voice was muffled as the phone shifted.  He pictured her holding it in the crook of her shoulder.  "So, it looks like he'll be wrapping things up in a week or so."

"Wow." Ed breathed in amazement.  "It's gone seem strange for Dad not to be working anymore. How long has it been?"

"Thirty eight years in the field and thirty three with the company."  His mother answered.  After a moment she chuckled and added, "Almost as long as you been around."

"Yeah, I know."

Ed thought about how his father had hoped to pass the torch to him.  The senior Green put a chemistry set in his son's hands before he even started first grade.  Ed could remember walking with his father as he'd proudly shown him the inner workings of the many plants and job sites he'd inhabited over the years.  Bill Green steadily rose through the ranks of his company and never hesitated to move his family when the work called for it.  He seemed to thrive on change while the rest of them viewed it as the price of having a top petrochemical engineer as the head of the family. 

While Ed shared his father's constant need to be challenged, he didn't inherit his wanderlust spirit.  He got all the charge and excitement he needed from being a cop and after so many years spent traveling as a child, was content to stay in one place.  He found his father's work fascinating, but had no desire to follow in his footsteps.  He could still remember the look on his dad's face when he declared Criminal Justice as his major. The disappointment was palpable, and though he'd never come right out and said as much, he was hurt by what he perceived as his son's rejection of him.  It was all years in the past, but it still colored everything in their relationship. Ed felt that he'd never quite measured up to his father's expectations, professionally or personally.

"Edward?"  He heard his mother call his full name and he realized he'd zoned out.

"Yeah, Mama, I'm here."

"So anyway the company is throwing your father an impromptu party this weekend because we'll be leaving on a month long cruise next Sunday."  She laughed.  "Your dad's retirement gift to himself."

"This weekend?"  He hedged.  "I don't know, Ma. That's kinda short notice."

"I know." She granted.  "But how many times is your father gonna retire?  I'm sure if you talked to that nice lady boss of yours she'd shuffle things around so you could come to your father's party."

Ed smiled at her description of Lieu.  They'd only met twice but had hit it off and chatted like long lost friends.

"Yeah, I'm sure she'd work something out."

"Well?"

"Okay, Mama."  He relented.  He really should be there.  "When and where?"

"Saturday at the Hilton New York."

"Not too shabby." He commented.  "They managed to book that?"

"Money talks, son.  They've planned cocktails at six and dinner around seven.  And I'm sure they'll have some sort of tribute or presentation, too."  She paused and he could almost hear her mind working.  "You might want to think of a few things to say if they ask you to speak."

"Ma…"

"I'm not sayin' they will for sure, but just in case." 

He sighed.  "Alright, Ma."

"Oh!" She exclaimed.  "You might want to bring a date, too.  Stanley's on a business trip and your sister's dropping hints that she may bring Jeanette."

Ed cringed.  Jeanette had been his older sister's best friend since they were five and the relationship had weathered the years and distance.  She'd been after him since he was fifteen.

"Thanks for the heads up, Ma.  I'll see you Saturday."

"I love you, baby."

"Love you, too."  He clicked the phone off and fell back onto the bed, thinking things over.

A date?

Abbie wandered in and saw him lying on the bed, his eyes closed.  She plopped down beside him, her elbow jabbing him in the ribs.

"Hey!" He sputtered.

"What's a matter, Ed?"  She quipped.  "Can't wait until after we eat?"

"We'll have to wait a lot longer than that if I have to go get X-rayed for broken bones."

Abbie snuggled closer to him and rubbed his side.  "Awww."  She purred, her voice soothing him.  "Poor baby.  Want me to kiss it and make it better?"

Ed laughed and drew her closer.  She'd taken her glasses off.  He brushed her lush, dark brown hair away from her face as she leaned over him.  This was all so new to him, to both of them.  Neither was sure where it would all lead, but they couldn't ignore the force that pulled them to one another.

Abbie closed her eyes and kissed him.  It was a probing, sensual moment that made her want to linger for hours and days or even weeks.  She tugged gently at his bottom lip with her teeth and he moaned.  She'd never met another man who appreciated the intricacies of a kiss as much as he did.  He never rushed them; he relished them and this pleasured her immensely.

Ed broke away from the kiss because he knew if they continued they wouldn't stop there and he needed to talk to her.

"I have something to tell you."

Abbie stiffened and he felt her pull away from him a bit.  "That sounds ominous."

He chuckled and caressed her cheek.  "Sorry.  It wasn't meant to be."

She rolled off of him and propped herself up on her elbow.  "Okay.  So what's goin' on?"

"Well, it looks as though my dad's gonna be retiring sooner than I thought."

"How much sooner?"

"In a couple of weeks."

"Really?" Abbie's brow shot up quizzically.  "Was that him on the phone?"

"No, that was my mom.  She wanted to tell me about a retirement party his company is hosting for him."

"Oh." She replied and an uneasy feeling began to creep through her.  "That sounds nice."

"Um, yeah, I guess it does."  He returned, matching her tone.  'C'mon Green', he prodded himself.  It was now or never.  "Well, you see, the thing is my mom suggested I bring a date."

Abbie sat up.  "Uh huh."

Ed sat up.  "My sister's husband is out of town and she's bringing her best friend."

"Who has a thing for you?"  She wisely concluded.

"Elementary my dear Watson." He joked, trying to lighten the suddenly tense mood.  "Look, I know this is short notice but, well… how would you feel about going?"

Abbie stood up.  "Gee, Ed, I don't know."  She began to pace around the room.  "I mean, we've only been seeing each other for a little over a month."  She walked for what seemed like an eternity during which neither of them spoke. Finally she stopped and turned to look at him.  "Are we really ready to take that step?  Are you ready for me to meet your family?"

"Truthfully?" He asked and she nodded.  Ed shrugged.  "I don't know."  Her shoulders sank a little and she bit her lip.  "I'm not tryin' to hurt you, Abbie. I just wanna be honest."

"I know."  She told him, but his answer did sting a little.  She went back over and sat beside him on the bed.  "I mean, it's just a date?  It's not like we're sending out bridal registry announcements or anything. Right?"

"Right."

"Right." Abbie took a deep breath and exhaled, nodding her head vigorously.  "So sure, I'll go to your father's retirement party with you."

Ed looked at her and after a moment kissed her cheek and then her forehead before he put his arm around her.  They were content to sit there holding one another until the door bell rang, shattering the blissful quiet.

"That'll be dinner."  Abbie announced.

Ed hopped up from the bed, digging his wallet out of his back pocket.  "I'll get it."

Just as he reached the bedroom door, Abbie called to him.

"Ed?"

"Yeah?"

She hesitated, her chin thrust forward defiantly but her brown eyes tender and vulnerable.  "Did you ask me 'cause you couldn't think of anybody else or because you really wanted to?"

Ed walked back to the bed and pulled Abbie to her feet.  He cupped her face in his hands and brought her mouth to his.  The kiss told her everything she needed to know.

"I couldn't think of anybody else because I can only think of you."  He brushed his thumb across her parted lips.  "And that's the truth."

Abbie smiled and they laughed when the door bell rang again more insistently.  They shared another quick kiss.

"Alright, enough of this mushy stuff."  She barked, but there was no bite to it.  "Go get my dinner."

Ed grinned the goofy grin she'd come to adore and ambled away to answer the door.  Abbie stood there, listening to him talking to the delivery man.  She tried to figure out where in the world this relationship, if it could even be called a relationship, was going.

She didn't have a clue.


	4. Guess Who's Coming To Dinner?

Abbie adjusted the black, knee-length matte jersey wrap dress and did a quick peek down to make sure everything was kosher.  She didn't want to barge into the banquet hall with her dress half open or flash one of the 'cousins' at Ed's family or his father's colleagues.  She tugged at the ¾ sleeves.  Damn, she lamented silently.  Should she have worn the other dress?  She ran her tongue over her teeth to make sure they were lipstick free and smoothed her hand over her gleaming, stick straight hair.  She definitely should've worn her hair up.

"Abbie."  Ed chuckled as he watched the mini makeover.  He thought she looked beautiful and didn't feel there was anything that needed to be changed or improved upon. "Would you please stop fidgeting?"

"Do I have too much lipstick on?"  She asked as she brushed off his lapel.  He caught her hand as she went to straighten the handkerchief in his breast pocket.  

"No, you don't have too much lipstick on."  He assured her.  "There's nothing caught in your teeth, there's nothing hanging out of your nose, your hair isn't sticking up and your dress ain't caught up in the back of your pantyhose."  Ed gave her hand an encouraging squeeze before looping her arm through his.  "You're gonna kill 'em."  

Abbie exhaled.  After a moment she put on her game face and gave him a brisk nod.  "Let's do it."   

They walked into the banquet hall and were immediately accosted by Ed's father's best friend.  The man slapped Ed heartily on the back and proceeded to regale Abbie with stories of her date's misspent youth. She couldn't help smiling as Ed squirmed.

"This boy's daddy had a time with him!" The older man exclaimed loudly as Ed inched away.  But it soon became clear that a quiet, easy escape wasn't in the cards because the man matched Ed step for step. Pretty soon, Abbie was biting the inside of her cheek to keep from howling. 

"Well, Mr. Jackson it sure was good to see you again!" Ed cut him off, seizing a golden opportunity when the man's third story began to wind down.  He took Abbie's hand and she smiled and nodded as they hurried away.  "I better go find my folks 'cause I'm sure they're wondering where I am."

"Alright! Get back at me later, Junior Green!" Mr. Jackson called after them.

"Yes sir, I'll be sure to do that." Ed returned without an ounce of sincerity.  Once they were out of earshot, Abbie's snickering quickly escalated to full blown laughter.  Ed glanced at her as they continued their trek through the room.

"You thought that was funny, huh?" He asked, trying to contain his own amusement.

"Somehow I just can't picture you as a juvenile delinquent, Mr. Vegan."

"Hey!" He protested, stopping abruptly.  "I eat meat."

"Ed, where I come from, anybody who doesn't eat red meat is a vegetarian."  

They bantered good-naturedly until he felt someone touch his shoulder and call softly, "Son?"

Ed turned to find his mother standing there.  She wore a beautifully tailored suit in midnight blue and her salt and pepper hair was elegantly coiffed.  He embraced her tightly, inhaling her signature scent which always reminded him of crisp, fresh linens.  Ed adored his mom and often wondered if his sister's proclamation that she'd spoiled him for any other woman had merit.  It would explain so many things.

Evelyn Green kissed her son's cheek, and then rubbed at the smidgen of lipstick she left there.  "I was startin' to wonder if you'd changed your mind about coming."  She confessed.  

He put his arm around his mom's waist and turned back to Abbie, who looked like a deer caught in headlights.  "Mama this is Abigail Carmichael."

Abbie extended her hand and the older woman grasped it warmly between both of hers.  "Please call me Abbie.  I'm very pleased to meet you, Mrs. Green."

"Likewise, Abbie."  Evelyn returned.  "And my goodness, aren't you pretty?"

Ed watched the exchange with eagle eyes.  He suspected his mother was a bit surprised, but she was a seasoned diplomat and very skilled at playing her cards close to her vest.  All that aside, he knew that her amiability and graciousness were sincere.   

"I'm so glad you could join us tonight."  She linked arms with Abbie and slid her hand into Ed's as she steered them towards their table.  "They reserved this table for you and your sister and the Jackson's."  She explained.  "I'll be up on the dais with Dad."

"Where is Dad?"

"I left him over there." Ed turned in the direction his mother pointed.  "When they start talking shop, I start yawning and looking at my watch."  She sat down at the table and motioned for Abbie to join her.  "Why don't you go on over there and say something to him?  I'm pretty sure they'll be serving dinner shortly."

Ed knew that was his cue to get lost.  He looked at Abbie, who nodded to let him know that it was okay to leave.  "I'll be right back."

"Take your time."  Abbie insisted.  Her bravado made him smile and he touched her hand before leaving.  The two women sat quietly and watched him make his way through the crowd in search of his father.

"So tell me about yourself, Abbie."  The older woman spoke first.  "What do you do?"

"I'm a lawyer.  I work for the U.S. Attorney."  Abbie said, and then added as an afterthought, "I used to work for the Manhattan DA in major felonies."

Evelyn tilted her head quizzically.  "Oh, so is that how you met my son?" 

"Yes, ma'am.  I've known Ed since '99." Abbie answered.  "He's a good friend."

As soon as she saw Evelyn's discerning smile, she realized that she'd thrown open a door.  "Is that what you are to my son, Abbie? A friend?"

"I think your son is a very special man, Mrs. Green." Abbie artfully dodged the question, eliciting a mellow laugh from the older woman.

"I think I'd have to say I agree with you." 

They chatted comfortably for several minutes until an attractive woman of medium build and height approached the table.  She looked familiar and Abbie tried to place her face, but couldn't.

"Good evening."  The woman spoke politely to Abbie before turning to Evelyn.  "Mama, have you seen Jeanette?" 

"No. Did you look in the men's room?"  Evelyn asked wryly.

Her daughter pursed her lips.  "Very funny."

"Abbie, this is my daughter."  Evelyn introduced them and Abbie held out her hand.  "Joyce, this is Abbie Carmichael."

Joyce shook her hand.  "Nice to meet you.  So you work with my dad, huh? How long have you known him?"

"Well, um… you see, actually I don't." Abbie tripped over the explanation.  "I'm here with your brother." 

The expression on Joyce's face spoke volumes. "Oh, really?"  Her eyes quickly darted to her mother and back.  "Ed almost never brings his, uh… friends around.  This is a real treat."

 I'll bet, Abbie thought.  "I'm very honored to be here."

A man who had a very 'in charge' look on his face stopped behind Evelyn and whispered something that prompted her to stand up.  She spoke to him in hushed tones and thanked him before turning back to the table.  "They're gonna start serving dinner in about five minutes.  Joyce, why don't you help Abbie find Ed?  He went looking for your father."

"Sure."  Ed's sister appeared to have gotten over her initial surprise and Abbie thought her smile seemed genuine.  "I'll send Dad your way, too."

****

"Dad."  

"Edward."

Bill Green excused himself from the group and joined his son.  He'd seen him earlier when he entered the banquet room with a tall brunette on his arm.  

"Big night for you." Ed awkwardly made conversation.

"Yeah, I guess it is." His father concurred.  "It's always nice to know what you do is appreciated."

Ed cleared his throat and shoved his hands into his pockets.  He always felt about twelve years old talking to his dad.  "So how you been, Pop?"

The senior Green's eyes twinkled, amused by his son's attempt at casual familiarity.  They'd not had that type of relationship for quite some time.  "I'm fine, Ed but I guess you know that.  I'm sure your mother always concludes her weekly calls with a report about me."

The comment cut Ed a little.  He'd tried to speak to his father during phone calls he made to his parent's home, but never managed to get more than grunts and two word replies.  After a while he stopped asking to speak to his father and his mother stopped offering.

"Looks like you're seeing someone new."

Ed cocked his head, taken aback by the observation.  "Yeah."  He responded slowly.  "How did you…"

"I saw you when you came in."  Bill informed him.  "She's stunning.  Has a very intelligent and sophisticated look about her."

"You think? Between me and you, she's dumb as a stick."  Ed joked.

"Well whatever works for you, son."

"Dad, I'm kidding.  Abbie's an attorney." Ed leveled with his father.  "She's extremely intelligent and she's also very engaging and down to earth."   

"Sounds like the pick of the litter."

"Is that approval I hear?"

"Are you looking for approval, son?"

Ed sighed.  "No."  His voice was tight.  "I'm not looking for anybody's approval."

"What in the world has got the two most handsome men in this room looking so intense?"

Ed looked over his father's shoulder and saw Jeanette, his sister's friend, standing there.  He grinned and teased, "They let anybody in this place, don't they?"

"I tip well."  She shot back and slinked over to join them.  Ed leaned down to accept the kiss she offered and she pressed her sizeable assets into chest.  "Long time no see, Eddie.  You look good."

"Back at you, J." He returned.  "You behavin' yourself these days?"

"Oh, baby, you know me."  She purred.  "I'm always good."

Both father and son cleared their throats and Bill patted Jeanette on the shoulder.  "I think I'll take my leave.  I see a couple of people over there I want to say something to before we get started."  He looked over at Ed.  "Son."

"Father." Ed mocked his restrained tone.

Jeanette cackled as Bill Green walked away.  "You two crack me up."

"Yeah, we're pretty funny alright."

"It's good to see you, Ed."  She said and let her eyes slowly travel the length of him.  "If anybody would've told me all those years ago that the little snot nose kid who used to follow me and Joyce around would turn out so fine, I wouldn't have believed them."

Ed smiled modestly.  "How you do go on, Jeanette."

"I speak only the truth."  She told him as she caressed his face.  Ed thought if she got any closer, they'd both be wearing his suit.  "You've come a long way, baby."  

"Well, you know you've always been like another sister to me."

Jeanette smiled and backed down a little.  "Ouch."

"Oh, come on now.  What would a sharp, good lookin' sister like you want with a questionable character like me?"

"Well, why don't you take me back to your place after this shin dig is over and let me show you?"  She dared.

Ed shifted and laughed nervously.  "You're too much."

"I was just thinking the same thing."

Abbie and Joyce were standing behind them.  Joyce spoke again, "I've been looking for you, Jeanette."

"Well here I am."  Jeanette responded in a sing song voice, still hanging onto Ed's arm.

Abbie kept her face neutral but Ed had no problem imagining what was going through her mind.  He opened his mouth to speak, but his sister beat him to the punch.

"Jeanette, this is Abbie Carmichael."  

Neither woman extended her hand as they exchanged cool, dismissive head nods.

"Abbie is here with Ed." 

Jeanette cleared her throat and slowly pulled her arm out of Ed's.  "Oh, I see."  She studied him intensely for several seconds and chuckled disdainfully.  "My, my, my… life is just full of little surprises."  She eyed Abbie, who stood her ground, unblinkingly.  After a moment she turned to Ed and asked caustically, "Et tu, Brute?"

"Alright, Jeanette."  Joyce took her friends arm. "We better go find our table because they're ready to serve dinner."   

After the two women walked away, Ed went over to Abbie and took her hand.  "I'm sorry about that."  He apologized.

She shrugged, taking his other hand.  "I'll survive."

He lowered his voice and whispered conspiratorially, "Do you think people would stare if I kissed you?"

Abbie carefully pondered the question before answering, deadpan, "Probably. But do it anyway."


	5. Common Beliefs and Misconceptions

"You can stop tryin' to look busy. Ain't nobody watching."

Ed stopped mid keystroke and looked up from his laptop. Damon Foster, one of his old running buddies and co-worker from Gang Intel, hovered over him.

"Detective Foster." Ed grinned. "Who let you in?"

Damon popped Ed on the back of the head before plopping down on his desk. "Hell, man, they put out the welcome mat for me. I'm helping one of your guys with a case. Tossed him a couple of leads and turned him on to one of my CI's."

Ed smirked. "When did you get so generous?"

"Shit, you know how it is." Ed watched Damon pick up the banana he'd brought for a snack and peel it. "You scratch my back, I'll scratch yours." Damon took a big bite of the banana. "Say, this is really good. Where'd you get this?"

"Same ol' Damon." Ed laughed as he finished typing the report and sent it to the printer. When it had finished he shut off the laptop and pushed it aside. "So what's up, man?"

Damon finished the banana and dropped the peel in front of Ed. "Just runnin' these streets same as always. Tryin' to keep these females in check."

"You missed your true calling, Foster." Ed cracked as he pushed the discarded peel into his trash can. "You shoulda been a professional juggler. I think call waiting elevated your game to a whole 'nother level."

Damon shrugged smugly. "Hey, it's a tough job but somebody's gotta do it."

Ed laughed, shaking his head. "You keep jerking these sisters around and one day I'll be working your homicide."

"They can get a little testy sometimes." His friend admitted sheepishly.

"I wonder why?" Ed asked sarcastically.

Damon eyed him and responded shrewdly, "Maybe I need to take a page outta your book and branch out."

Ed shifted, somewhat agitated by his tone. "What you mean by that?"

"Aww c'mon, Green." Damon prodded. "What's this I hear about you and a certain former ADA?"

"I'm seeing someone." Ed answered noncommittally.

"Uh huh." Damon smiled and something about it irked Ed. "Well?"

"Well what?"

"Don't hold out on your boy."

"I know you don't think I'm gone sit here and give you a play by play rundown."

"Why not?" Damon demanded. "You shy all of a sudden? Back in the day…"

Ed cut him off. "It's a new day, Damon."

Damon sucked his teeth. "So it's like that, huh? She got yo ass on lockdown."

"Abbie's cool." Ed didn't like the turn the conversation was taking but he was trying hard to humor his old friend. "We're working things out. Taking things slow."

"Not too slow I hope!" Damon blasted. "C'mon, man. Details!"

Ed leaned back in his chair. "You sound like a randy tenth grader. You that hard up, dog?"

"Never." Damon sniffed.

"Well then just be satisfied with 'Abbie's cool'."

"See how that just rolls off your tongue." Damon grinned. "'Abbie's cool'." Ed couldn't help smiling which only egged his friend on. "Aww, look at him! Look at that twinkle in his eye."

"C'mon, man." Ed struggled to sound serious. "Don't you have something you need to do? Somewhere you need to be?"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. I been thrown outta better places than this." Damon cracked as he stood up. "But seriously, man, one more question before I go."

Ed groaned. "Damon."

"C'mon, Ed. Holla at your boy."

Ed sighed and waited impatiently.

"Just between you and me," Damon leaned in conspiratorially, "is it true what they say about white girls?"

Ed's eyes narrowed into slits. "Say what?"

"C'mon, dog." Damon pressed, oblivious to Ed's outrage. "I heard they can be down with some real freaky shit. So… has Abbie let you tap that ass yet?"

Momentarily forgetting where he was Ed bolted out of his chair and grabbed Damon around the neck. Startled, his friend put up no fight as Ed slammed him into the desk and towered over him.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" He demanded through gritted teeth. "Are you that stupid, man? Are you really _that _stupid?"

A couple of the other officers managed to pry Ed's hands from around Damon's neck as he helplessly sputtered and choked. After he'd been rescued he sat on the edge of Ed's disarranged desk gulping for air.

"You lucky your boys jumped in 'cause I was 'bout to wear your ass out."

Ed pushed against the officer who held him back.

"Get the hell outta here, Foster." One of the other detectives advised.

Damon straightened his clothes and fixed his tie. As he stood up from the desk he pulled a business card from his pocket and tossed it on Ed's desk.

"Pass that on to Abbie, man. I ain't above taking sloppy seconds."

Ed's nostrils flared and his hand balled into a fist as he watched Damon stroll out of the squad room.

= = = =

"Hey, Abbie!"

Abbie was sorting through a pile of briefs trying to decide which ones to take home with her. She'd smiled to herself when she began the process, thinking that 'home' had meant Ed's place lately. She didn't even have to carry an overnight bag anymore. After she'd made the ultimate leap of faith and cleared drawer space for him in her bureau he'd reciprocated, seemingly without giving it a second thought.

She stopped her sorting and looked up at who was speaking to her. "Hey, Monica. On your way out?"

The pretty young redhead laughed. "I'm practically running. Can't you tell?"

"Rough day, huh?" Abbie asked as she tried to maneuver the five files she'd chosen into an already bulging satchel.

"This case is really kicking my ass." Monica fell into the chair beside Abbie's desk and helped herself to a piece of candy from the open jar.

"And tomorrow you get to come back and do it all over again." Abbie chirped brightly. She snickered when Monica faked gagging on the candy. "Oh c'mon, Barkley, you love it. You're a glutton for punishment just like the rest of us."

Monica nodded and grabbed a few pieces of candy for the road before she stood up.

"Help yourself to that candy, Monica." Abbie teased.

Monica's eyes bulged. "I'm sorry!" She apologized. "I didn't even ask, did I?"

Abbie patted her arm. "I'm teasing, Monica." She assured. "You eat as much of that candy as you want. Leaves less for me to shove in my mouth and that means less time on the treadmill to keep my ass from gettin' as big as my beloved home state."

Monica giggled. "As if! Anyway, I'd have thought you didn't have to worry about that anymore."

Abbie was taken aback by the comment and her arm got caught in her jacket as she tried to put it on. "Why'd you think that?"

"Well, I know you're dating that hot detective from the 2-7 now." The woman babbled mindlessly as she tore open another piece of candy. "Green, right?"

Abbie untangled her arm and slid it into the jacket. "Yeah, that's right."

"Well, everybody knows black guys love their women to have big asses." Monica informed Abbie as she chomped on the candy. "'Junk in the trunk' they call it. Listen to their music. 99% of it has something to do with some woman's backside."

Abbie bit her lip. She had to work with this woman every day. Telling her that she was being an ignorant bitch wasn't going to help create harmony in the workplace.

"You sure know a lot about it." Abbie tried to keep her voice detached and casual.

"I try to stay informed." Monica winked and playfully elbowed her in the side.

Abbie decided against commenting as she turned out the light. Monica followed her out of the office and into the hallway. Until that moment Abbie hadn't realized what an annoying ring the woman's voice had. She sounded like one of her nostrils was perpetually clogged.

"So which way are you headed?"

"Uptown." Abbie responded vaguely.

"Me too! Let's share a cab."

Abbie's stomach flip flopped at the thought of having to listen to her incessant chatter for the next half hour. It would end with her heaving all over some innocent cabbie's back seat.

"No thanks." She said politely. She knew she didn't owe Monica an explanation but the crushed look on her face was too much for Abbie to bear. "I'm meeting someone."

Monica's eyes lit up. "The detective?"

Abbie simply nodded as they joined a small group already waiting for the elevator.

"So what's it like?"

Abbie felt hot breath steam her ear and turned to find Monica standing so close that they bumped noses. "What's what like?" She asked, annoyed.

"Oh c'mon, Abbie." Monica whined. "You know…"

Abbie rolled her eyes. This was really turning into an exercise of patience. "I don't have a clue what you're talking about, Monica."

The elevator arrived and they filed inside with the others who had been waiting. Abbie could feel Monica practically standing on top of her.

"Don't be selfish, Abbie." She whispered. "You know what I'm talking about. Is it true what they say about black guys?"

Astounded, Abbie turned to glare at Monica. The woman was one of the most educated and brilliant young attorneys in the state of New York. She'd graduated summa cum laude from Harvard and was on the political fast track. But at that moment she sounded like a stupid, horny sixteen year old who didn't know any better than to ask something so offensive.

Abbie cocked her head and in her loudest, most obnoxious voice asked, "Are you asking me if Ed has a big dick?"

There was a collective gasp in the elevator and Monica turned six shades of red as she tried to back up. Abbie rolled her eyes and turned back around. The elevator reached ground level and the doors opened. Abbie casually sauntered out without bothering to look back at the carnage she'd left in her wake.

= = = =

"Hey you."

Abbie kissed the top of Ed's head after she dropped her satchel by the door. The empty drawer had come with the offer of a spare key so she was able to let herself in. She sank into the couch beside him and rested her head on his shoulder.

Ed kissed her forehead. "Hungry?"

Abbie shrugged. "Not really."

"Me either."

They sat in the dark as the television flickered, both lost in their own thoughts. After a few minutes Abbie lifted Ed's arm and slid under it, laying her head on his chest.

"Hard day?" He asked as he stroked her hair.

Abbie sighed and closed her eyes. "The usual. You?"

"Yeah, me too." Ed spoke softly. "The usual."


End file.
